Assessment

Yesterday my wife and I traveled to Richmond to meet with an Assessment Team for the SBCV (Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia). Although we don't put it in our name, we are a Southern Baptist Church and I am a Southern Baptist Church planter. (We are not ashamed to be a Baptist at all, we just don't want the name Baptist to be a barrier to the gospel) Every year, as a church planter, I am assessed by a group of guys who are or have been church planters themselves. It was very valuable to sit with these guys and discuss where we've been and where we are going with Mosaic Church of Culpeper. I want to say how much I appreciate their insight, guidance, support, and encouragement. It was tremendously encouraging to be with these guys yesterday. Before the assessment I was asked to write a "state of the church" address. Basically, to evaluate where we've been, what worked well, what didn't work so well, and where we are headed. It's good every now and then to stop and do an assessment, not only on what you do, but also on who you are. It's good to ask the tough questions, "How am I doing in my walk with God?", "What's worked and what hasn't worked so well in my journey?", "Where am I headed?", "What do I need to improve upon or do differently to better my relationship with Jesus?". Sometimes in life, like church planting, you can get caught up in so many other "things" that you loose focus on the most "important thing." Assessment helps us to refocus and redirect. Have you done an assessment lately? Maybe you need to stop (I know that's hard for all of us) and do a little soul searching. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you've gotten off a little bit...a little bit out of focus.